I'm discussing colons and poo and getting both of yours checked out. If you are the kind to be squeamish about this, get over it right now. You can be squeamish about touching the raw turkey on Thanksgiving morning, putting a live squirming worm onto a fish hook, or about smashing a cockroach in your house. When it comes to your BODY and your HEALTH and your LIFE, toss 'squeamish' out the window. OK? OK! Let's go....
Everyone has heard of Colon Cancer and you may even know of someone who has battled it. I remember my sister's new mother in law had it back in the 80's, and that's all I knew about it. Except that when I worked in hospitals/doctors offices and I vaguely heard about it and knew that they recommended everyone began being screened for it after age 50. Then a year ago my world exploded with more knowledge about this dreaded disease than I ever cared to know!
BAM! I found out about the wife of a college friend of mine, Steve, who was battling this cancer. Here is Kelly and Steve with their precious children. She was diagnosed at just age 33.
BAM! A dear high school friend of mine, Mandy, was diagnosed with this cancer at only 36. Here she is with her two incredible kids.
BAM! My brother David was diagnosed with this cancer at only 47.
WHAT? All of these are not yet age 50, and according to statistics for America between 2011-2013 (seen here on cancer.org),
Incidence and death rates for colorectal cancer increase with age.
Overall, 90% of new cases and 94% of deaths occur in individuals
50 and older. The incidence rate of colorectal cancer is more
than 15 times higher in adults 50 years and older than in those
20 to 49 years.
How is colorectal cancer diagnosed? Actually it's very hard to detect early on; if you start having symptoms then it's highly probable that the cancer has progressed pretty far. Again from the publication cited above;
Early colorectal cancer often has no symptoms, which is why
screening is so important. Most colorectal cancers begin as a
polyp, a small growth in the wall of the colon. As a polyp grows,
it can bleed or obstruct the intestine (Figure 2,). See your doctor
if you have any of these warning signs:
• Bleeding from the rectum
• Blood in the stool or in the toilet after having a bowel
movement
• Dark- or black-colored stools
• A change in the shape of the stool
• Cramping pain in the lower stomach
• A feeling of discomfort or an urge to have a bowel movement
when there is no need to have one
• New onset of constipation or diarrhea that lasts for more than
a few days
• Unintentional weight loss
If you are over age 50 and you've never been tested, what in the world are you waiting for??? Go get tested! Make a point to call your doctor THIS MONTH!
What can you do, if you're too young to get the recommended age 50 colonoscopy?
- Basically the same things you should be doing anyway; drink a lot of water and eat healthy, focusing on vegetables and all the 'fiber' foods you can get
- Exercise
- Don't smoke
- Don't drink too much
- Practice good 'going' posture! This sounds crazy and admittedly the Squatty Potty idea made me laugh, especially the Amazon reviews of it, but after further research I realized that medically and scientifically this posture thing is legit. Just check out this video and see. You can just use a small step stool or box at home and see if you notice a difference! This posture thing might really improve your colon health and that would be worth feeling a little silly in the bathroom at first, yes?
- Get screened! Talk to your doctor about any risk factors you might have and he/she can recommend a fecal screening for you. They'll test your poo for any evidence of colon problems.
But in spite of these efforts, you could still be at risk because of genetics! Knowing this, I went straight to my doctor and asked if I could be screened for colorectal cancer. She referred me to a specialist who, upon hearing about my brother, said ABSOLUTELY I should not just be screened but I should undergo a colonoscopy as soon as possible! If you have a first-degree relative (sibling, parent, child) with this cancer, it's recommended that you be checked at 10 years younger than the age they were when they were diagnosed. Well I'm exactly 10 years younger than my brother so I fit the bill, and a colonoscopy was scheduled.
OK here is where I refuse to listen to anyone who wants to wimp out on this procedure because of a fear of pain, a private horror of having someone examine you internally in 'that' are of your body...OH GIVE ME A BREAK! This is a procedure that can save your life and in my first hand experience, going to the dentist is a much worse event!
Like everyone warned me, the preparation is the toughest. Yep! You have to start watching what you eat, cutting back on solids a few days before the procedure, and you get this massive jug from the pharmacy with a powder to mix into it before filling it with water. Oh my word, so much drinking and it's nasty but if you've ever taken the pregnancy glucose test, that's even nastier. As you drink it, it...relieves your bowels...quite a bit. Stay home! Then after all of this is done within a certain time frame, you can't eat or drink anything. And again I refuse to listen to anyone who wants to wimp out about this. I am a busy mom of 4 young, energetic kids and I not only managed to get all of this done but I was also breastfeeding successfully through it all sooooo what's your excuse?!?
On the day of the procedure, get ready for the absolute worse that will happen, and I'll be very honest here....are you ready? I'm telling you, be prepared for hearing the worse!!
('real life selfie' on my way into the procedure room)
The Worse: YOU GET A WONDERFUL SEDATED NAP!
Seriously, for me that was so awesome I can't even tell you. Ha! They hooked me up so monitors and made sure I was warm and comfortable....and then lights out. I woke up later, warm under a blanket and blissfully high on pain medicine that really was unnecessary because I felt nothing except a lingering desire for more sleep. Well and I was hungry! I rested that night (mostly because I was a little loopy from the pain meds) and then the next day was fine and sadly, I had to go back to doing laundry and housework.
Overall it was not a big deal at all and if you put off getting this done, you're an idiot. Sorry for strong language but really, the dentist or maybe even a sloppy manicurist who rips your cuticles off too hard and makes you bleed....those are tougher experiences. Get over your mental battle about a colonoscopy and GET 'ER DONE.
I'm glad I did, because apparently the genetic factor plays a huge deal in my own bowels and the doctor did find a small polyp which he removed and had tested. It was fine, I'm all good, but now I get to go in for a sedated nap every 5 years. Yay!
I'm not making light of a serious procedure...I'm just super happy for early screening because guess what, IT'S WORKING! Just this week, a report is out about Colon Cancer rates DROPPING for the first time in awhile, and it's all because of early screenings. You can read the article HERE.
And if you need any further encouragement to get your bowels checked out, here's a few words from those who have been closely effected by this disease.
My brother said; "If me going through this helps any of my loved ones take care of their health, get checked for this, and it saves their lives, then for me it is worth it."
Having a chemo day this week. Some days he's more tired than others.
Staying warm during the cold Missouri winter!
Mandy wanted to say more, but she's tired and it's been a rough week. Please keep her and David in your prayers! We know that God is a Healer and we are trusting Him for His miraculous touch!
Meanwhile, she just said; "If my story could touch just one person, I'd be so glad."
Steve simply had this to add to my blog post; "Thank you for honoring my sweetheart."
